The Sarofim School of Fine Arts is thrilled to welcome back studio art alumnus Tom Morin ’94 for his photography exhibition and reception in the Sarofim Fine Arts Gallery.

Tom Morin is a professional photographer whose work has been exhibited around the U.S. and in collections including the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin and the Fidelity Investments Corporate Art Collection in Boston. His exhibition at the Sarofim Fine Arts Gallery features photography created between 1992 and 2017, offering a visual retrospective on his evolution as an artist over the span of 25 years. The exhibition comprises three series: Metaphor, Remnants, and Service. 

Metaphor was developed during Morin’s time at Southwestern. It centers around the technique of previsualization, or predicting the final outcome of an image before the photo is shot. Using theatrical lighting and a melange of unrelated objects, Morin’s work portrays surrealistic imagery that leaves interpretation up to the imagination of the viewer.

Morin moved away from previsualization and began experimenting with “found art” in his Remnants series. Remnants is made up of three themes—Airplanes, Chalkboards, and Rounds—that focus on the transformation of common objects into abstract images. The compelling abstractions include the streaks of a plane’s navigation lights in the night sky, the residual marks of a teacher’s erased writing on a chalkboard, and the magnified “landscapes” of impact left on the backs of expelled bullet shells.

His most recent series, Service, reflects his visual artistry in conjunction with a call to military service. Morin became a public-affairs photographer for the Texas State Guard in 2012, and in 2017, he created this series while documenting the relief efforts of Hurricane Harvey. Major General Robert J. Bodisch, commanding general of the Texas State Guard, praised Morin’s impactful photography, which “chronicled the circumstances of those affected by the devastating storm while highlighting the incredible emergency response undertaken by the men and women of the Texas State Guard.”

Therese Mulligan, director of the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology (where Morin received his M.F.A.), describes Tom Morin: 25 as having a “unique gravity,” signifying a “moment when what work that came before are so many building blocks leading to an uncharted future of creative possibilities.” 

Join Southwestern in celebrating the brilliant past and future of this alumnus at his exhibition reception on Saturday, October 19 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Gallery. Then, stick around for a faculty concert with cellist Hai Zheng and friends at 7:30 p.m. in the Alma Thomas Theater to round out an evening of fine art!

Tom Morin: 25 runs October 3–November 12 and is open Tuesday–Sunday 12 p.m.–5 p.m. in the Sarofim Fine Arts Gallery, located in Southwestern University’s Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center, E. Rutersville Rd., Georgetown, Texas 78628. This event is free and open to the public.